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gradually improved as the public had become better informed. The Outcome of the Summit not only

informed. The Outcome of the Summit not only contained language that affirmed the importance of the

contained language that affirmed the importance of the multilateral system, but also included clear

multilateral system, but also included clear commitments on the precise steps needed to achieve

commitments on the precise steps needed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and agreements to

the Millennium Development Goals, and agreements to create a Peacebuilding Commission and a Human

create a Peacebuilding Commission and a Human Rights Council. Most significantly, the doctrine of the

Rights Council. Most significantly, the doctrine of the responsibility to protect had now been unambiguously

responsibility to protect had now been unambiguously accepted by all Member States.

accepted by all Member States. 18. He pointed out that reform had been on the

18. He pointed out that reform had been on the United Nations agenda since the Organization had first

United Nations agenda since the Organization had first been established. Each phase of reform had improved

been established. Each phase of reform had improved ability of the United Nations to respond to an

ability of the United Nations to respond to an evolving mosaic of demands, priorities and initiatives

evolving mosaic of demands, priorities and initiatives on the part of the Member States and public

on the part of the Member States and public constituencies. Members of the Committee on

constituencies. Members of the Committee on Information were acutely aware that the global media

Information were acutely aware that the global media environment and the rapid pace of technological

environment and the rapid pace of technological advances posed a challenge to communicators. The

advances posed a challenge to communicators. The process of reorientation launched by the Secretary-General three years earlier had fundamentally changed

process of reorientation launched by the Secretary-General three years earlier had fundamentally changed the way in which the Department defined and carried

the way in which the Department defined and carried out its mission and the changes had resulted in the

out its mission and the changes had resulted in the establishment of clear strategic directions, the results

establishment of clear strategic directions, the results of which had been enthusiastically welcomed by

of which had been enthusiastically welcomed by Member States.

Member States. 19. The report of the Secretary-General on questions

19. The report of the Secretary-General on questions relating to information (A/60/173) provided an

relating to information (A/60/173) provided an overview of the results achieved through the reform

overview of the results achieved through the reform efforts over the previous three years. The promotion of

efforts over the previous three years. The promotion of the World Summit had been driven by strategic

the World Summit had been driven by strategic planning, better use of new information and

planning, better use of new information and communication technologies, closer system-wide

communication technologies, closer system-wide coordination, and proactive outreach. Coordinated

coordination, and proactive outreach. Coordinated efforts had been made to raise the awareness of the

efforts had been made to raise the awareness of the media as part of a comprehensive campaign at United

media as part of a comprehensive campaign at United Nations Headquarters with the active involvement of

Nations Headquarters with the active involvement of the Secretary-General and other officials, at the local

the Secretary-General and other officials, at the local level by the network of United Nations information

level by the network of United Nations information centres, and through personal contact with media

centres, and through personal contact with media professionals. A number of interviews and background

professionals. A number of interviews and background briefings by senior United Nations officials around the

briefings by senior United Nations officials around the world on the full range of topics discussed at the

world on the full range of topics discussed at the Summit had encouraged journalists to appreciate the

Summit had encouraged journalists to appreciate the importance of the issues that had been addressed.

importance of the issues that had been addressed. Maximum use had been made of contacts and the

Maximum use had been made of contacts and the capacities of the network of information centres,

capacities of the network of information centres, which, in the lead up to the Summit, had organized

which, in the lead up to the Summit, had organized media campaigns, workshops and special events. All

media campaigns, workshops and special events. All those activities had served to ensure that the attention

those activities had served to ensure that the attention of the world’s media had been firmly on the United

of the world’s media had been firmly on the United Nations when the Heads of State and Government had

Nations when the Heads of State and Government had arrived, and that that attention had been at a minimum

arrived, and that that attention had been at a minimum well-informed, if not always fully convinced.

well-informed, if not always fully convinced. 20. When the Summit had actually commenced, it

20. When the Summit had actually commenced, it had been the Department’s responsibility to manage the

had been the Department’s responsibility to manage the more than 3,500 accredited journalists who had

more than 3,500 accredited journalists who had covered it. The Department had also recognized the

covered it. The Department had also recognized the importance of keeping civil society constructively

importance of keeping civil society constructively engaged in the process, and the fifty-eighth Annual

engaged in the process, and the fifty-eighth Annual DPI/NGO Conference, held from 7 to 9 September, had

DPI/NGO Conference, held from 7 to 9 September, had taken reform of the international system as its theme,

taken reform of the international system as its theme, under the title “Our Challenge: Voices for Peace,

under the title “Our Challenge: Voices for Peace, Partnerships and Renewal”. In the week preceding the

Partnerships and Renewal”. In the week preceding the Summit, more than 2,500 representatives of non-governmental organizations and other civil society

Summit, more than 2,500 representatives of non-governmental organizations and other civil society partners had come to Headquarters, and even more had

partners had come to Headquarters, and even more had followed the proceedings over the Internet. The

followed the proceedings over the Internet. The Conference had allowed the Department to capitalize

Conference had allowed the Department to capitalize on the commitment of civil society to the Summit,

on the commitment of civil society to the Summit, engendered by the civil society hearings held by the

engendered by the civil society hearings held by the President of the General Assembly, for which the

President of the General Assembly, for which the Department of Public Information had also provided

Department of Public Information had also provided essential support.

essential support. 21. The increasing power of the United Nations

21. The increasing power of the United Nations website as an information tool had figured prominently

website as an information tool had figured prominently in the Summit story: during the three days of the

in the Summit story: during the three days of the Summit, the website had been accessed some 45

Summit, the website had been accessed some 45 million times — compared to 42 million hits during the

million times — compared to 42 million hits during the entire year in 1997. More than 180,000 viewers from

entire year in 1997. More than 180,000 viewers from 175 countries had watched the webcast of the Summit

175 countries had watched the webcast of the Summit live, and a further 722,216 had used the Department’s

live, and a further 722,216 had used the Department’s “webcast on-demand” capacity to watch it over the

“webcast on-demand” capacity to watch it over the following days. And for the first time, DPI had been

following days. And for the first time, DPI had been able to provide audiences with the option to watch the

able to provide audiences with the option to watch the live webcast — of all statements — in either the

live webcast — of all statements — in either the original language or interpreted into English.

original language or interpreted into English. 22. People around the world — people who in the

22. People around the world — people who in the past would perhaps have glimpsed only snatches of the

past would perhaps have glimpsed only snatches of the meeting on their evening news programmes — had

meeting on their evening news programmes — had tuned in via the Web to watch Heads of State and

tuned in via the Web to watch Heads of State and Government address the United Nations, and

Government address the United Nations, and collectively had watched the Summit live for some

collectively had watched the Summit live for some 15,700 hours. From the webcast archives, they had

15,700 hours. From the webcast archives, they had then watched for more than three times that number of

then watched for more than three times that number of hours.

hours. 23. Those figures indicated three things. First, that

23. Those figures indicated three things. First, that the website was an essential tool that allowed DPI to

the website was an essential tool that allowed DPI to reach global audiences quickly and cost-effectively.

reach global audiences quickly and cost-effectively. Second, that it was being used by people in more than

Second, that it was being used by people in more than two thirds of Member States, with the result that,

two thirds of Member States, with the result that, unlike in the past, its value now extended far beyond